Foundation of the World

The Noahide commandments are eminently sensible…except the law forbidding eating a limb severed from a living animal.

After the flood, G‑d gave the world seven universal
mitzvot, which became known as the Seven Laws of Noah or the Seven Noahide
commandments. Jews and non-Jews alike must keep these laws (though Jews are
obligated by the Torah to keep many more – to a total of 613).

The Noahide commandments are...eminently sensible and practical...

The Noahide commandments are general mitzvahs,
eminently sensible and practical: Do not murder, do not steal, do not engage in
sexual improprieties, do not worship idols, do not blaspheme, and create a
system of justice to make sure all live by these laws. There is one surprising
exception – the law forbidding consumption of a limb severed from a living
animal. Why would anyone want to do such a thing? Furthermore, if this is a
Noahide commandment, what does it have to do with Noah?

There are some things that the Torah says that simply
cannot be understood until you look into its deeper, hidden levels. As the great
sage Rameh m'Panov put it, "The Torah speaks primarily in supernal or
spiritual terms, and only hints at the physical world."

Shem miShmuel seeks to explain the mitzvah of
not eating from the limbs of a live animal by alluding to its counterpart in the
spiritual reality above. He recalls that the issue of not eating a limb severed
from a live animal comes up when Joseph brings negative reports of his brothers
to his father, Jacob. Joseph hints that his brothers are transgressing this
serious Biblical command. Of what exactly was he accusing them?

Shem miShmuel explains that Joseph was a tzadik on a higher level than his brothers, who were also tzadikim.
Joseph was the tzadik yesodolam -- the
righteous man who is the foundation of the world – in other words, the leader of
the generation upon whom its spiritual welfare rests. His brothers were also
tzadikim, righteous people who set a good example but whose main task is the
help common people form a connection with the leader – in this case, Joseph.

Joseph could see the greatness of his brothers.
Because he was aware of their righteousness, he was convinced that they also
were aware of his higher level. When they failed to recognize him for who he
was, he felt that they were acting as "severed limbs." They were guilty of
separating themselves from the "living," the tzadik who is the foundation
and the life force of the entire creation in his time. Therefore, they were
guilty – in the spiritual sense – of "eating of a limb severed from a live
animal." And because he felt that they were guilty in the spiritual sense, he
assumed that they must be guilty physically as well.

They were like "severed limbs,"
without any link to the live body, the leader of the generation – Noah.

Noah was also the righteous person upon whom his
entire generation depended. However, the people of his generation were so wicked
that they had no connection with him whatsoever. They were like "severed limbs,"
without any link to the live body, the leader of the generation – Noah.

Noah's strength was that he fended off all the
temptations of his times. Shem miShmuel says that this was not an easy or
natural achievement for Noah, who had to work hard to escape the vices of his
generation and not act like a limb "severed" from G‑d. When he succeeded, G‑d
established his achievement as a mitzvah – a commandment for all times.

Never again would the leader be tempted by the "limbs"
– by the non-believing people of the generation. From now on, it is they who
would come to him, to the tzadik who is their foundation. Anything else
corresponds to "eating a severed limb," separating oneself from the leader of
the generation.

[From "Inner Lights from Jerusalem": based on
the Shem miShmuel and other Chassidic and Kabalistic Sources, by Rabbi
David Sterne, who also authored "Love Like Fire and Water: A Guide to
Jewish Meditation." Both are available from:
http://www.kabbalaonline-shop.com ]

David Sterne, originally of Los Angeles, is the founder and director of "Jerusalem Connection," an educational outreach organization in the Old City of Jerusalem, where he lives. He is the author of "Love Like Fire and Water: A guide to Jewish Mediation" and "Inner Lights of Jerusalem" -- Insights on the Weekly Torah portion based primarily on Shem miShmuel.

Gentiles and the Commandments
I disagree with the part of the introduction, implying that Gentile decents are not obligated to follow Levitcal Law. Anyone that buys into the belief and faith in G-d is obligated to follow and obey Levitical Law, Jew or Gentile. Jews do not have a monopoly on worshiping G-d. All the Israelites are His chosen people, but chosen to redeem the world through them not hoard the All Mighty to themselves.
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